GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn — The Dollar General Literacy Foundation (DGLF) and Save the Children have been recognized by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation with a 2025 Corporate Citizenship Award in the Best Education and Workforce category for their joint “Closing the Gap” initiative, which is transforming early childhood education and well-being in rural America.
The award honors the organizations’ multi-year collaboration focused on expanding access to education and strengthening rural communities across the United States. Since launching the initiative in 2018, DGLF and Save the Children have invested $10.3 million to support nearly one million children annually through programs promoting kindergarten readiness, literacy and math proficiency, workforce development, and food security.
“We are honored to be recognized for our partnership with Save the Children, which helps address urgent and complex challenges affecting rural childhood education and well-being,” said Denine Torr, executive director of the Dollar General Literacy Foundation. “Together, we are fostering resilient rural ecosystems and building strong foundations that respond directly to the needs of rural children and families.”
Save the Children’s Rural Child Well-Being Dashboards have been instrumental in guiding this work, providing localized data on child poverty, education, and childcare access. These insights shape programming across more than 250 communities in 14 states, helping ensure that resources meet the unique needs of each area.
Clare Rodger, chief marketing and growth officer of Save the Children U.S., emphasized the importance of cross-sector collaboration in driving sustainable progress. “It’s a testament to what’s possible when we come together across sectors to build lasting change for children and entire communities,” Rodger said. “We look forward to building on this momentum—bringing quality education and care to more kids and families in rural America.”
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Corporate Citizenship Awards—often called the “Citizens Awards”—recognize companies and organizations that demonstrate leadership in using business as a force for good. For more than 25 years, the awards have highlighted innovative partnerships that leverage corporate resources and expertise to expand opportunity and improve communities nationwide.
For Dollar General, the recognition underscores a long-standing commitment to literacy and education in the communities it serves. Founded in 1993, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation has awarded more than $250 million in grants, helping more than 19 million individuals learn to read, prepare for the high school equivalency exam, or gain English language proficiency.
